“12:34” is Cinema Stereo’s first full-length album and, frankly, it’s a bit of a cracker.
At first I wasn’t sure what to make of it – it’s not my usual listen, and it took the old ears a couple of spins to tune in to the album’s vibe and sound.
Well, I’m there now and what a joy this is.
The music that awaits behind the striking Kii Arens artwork covers a lot of ground, being the culmination of years of songwriting growth and band evolution. In the masterful hands of renowned Nashville producer Paul Moak, however, the final product is a seamless whole which, for me, rewards an end-to-end listen rather than just dipping in and out.
12:34 gets off to a breakneck start. Opening brace “Flood” and “Over The Edge” charge along on a wave of relentless guitar chords and dexterous bass runs with singer and principal songwriter Ian Rayha reassuring us that, if we’ve had enough and think too much, we can put our trust in him.
“Now We Feel Special” begins with a deliciously infectious guitar motif before setting off again at a jaunty gallop and producing the first great earworm of the album with the chorus refrain “you cared for me, when I needed you”.
For “A Moment Of Feeling Alone”, the pace drops ever so slightly, but the intensity is lifted plenty. Guitars are crashing now where before they were strummed, and the vocal delivery is much more committed. The song is quirky and dynamic, using clever lyrical sleight of hand that had me reaching for the rewind button to see what just happened.
Title track “12:34” is a bit of a curio. A one-and-a-half-minute instrumental based on a 2-chord piano melody, it comes and goes without saying much; however, in the context of the album as a whole, it provides a nice palate cleanser ahead of one of the album’s highlights.
“Expectations” is the current single and really raises the ante. The guitars are bigger and dirtier and the vibe much heavier here. The thumping beat provides the foundation for some sumptuous layered vocals before allowing just a single, moody synth riff to take up the story before the song builds again from ground zero to it’s thrilling climax.
The band goes full Queen layered vocal harmonies on piano-led gem “Ride To The Sun”, which features a sweet guitar solo from Sebastian Borysek, and leads into another highlight – the enchanting, reflective “Flowers” in which Ian tells us he’s “run out of bad habits to turn to” over beautifully bubbling acoustic guitars.
It’s all change again for “Lean On You” which throws everything at the listener across it’s 3min 10secs. Big guitars, big choruses, handclaps, layered ‘la-la’ vocal harmonies and a deliciously dirty guitar solo.
“All I Want” sees Police-esque downbeat reggae verses colliding with high-energy, soaring choruses and a nifty instrumental break before the distinctly unPolicey synth vocal breakdown (think Mr Bluesky!).
“Tears” is another instrumental piece, this time based around some big, heavily processed guitar chords. Again, it’s value, for me, is it’s role as an intro to the following song rather than something I’d go back to for it’s own sake.
Cinema Stereo save the best to last.
“Proxima” brings the album to a dramatic, expansive conclusion. Jeffrey Lageveen’s deft drum groove provides a feather bed for angry, chopping guitars and another towering vocal performance. The song reaches its peak with an almost Rush-like instrumental middle section, featuring intoxicating guitar, bass, and drum interplay before the chopping guitars return, and the song fades… and we lift the needle, plop it right back to the start, and listen to the whole thing again!
What is important here is just how fearless this album is. The only thing the band cared about was getting the songs to sound exactly as they heard them in their heads, and kudos to Paul Moak for riding that wave and coalescing the who’s-who of influences and sounds into the scintillating whole we have on our deck today.
They’re on tour in November, so catch them in the small venues while you still can – it will be a night not to be missed.
Review: Andy Balcam
12:34 – Album Track Listing
Flood (3:09)
2. Over the Edge (3:33)
3. Now We Feel Special (3:46)
4. A Moment of Feeling Alone (4:51)
5. 12:34 (1:23)
6. Expectations (4:15)
7. Ride to the Sun (3:56)
8. Flowers (3:46)
9. Lean On You (3:10)
10. All I Want (3:15)
11. Tears (2:12)
12. Proxima (5:30)
Album Credits
Vocals, Bass, Guitar & Keyboards: Ian Rayha
Lead Guitar: Sebastian Borysek
Drums: Jeffrey Lageveen
Produced by: Paul Moak
Engineered by: Zack Zinck
Assistant Engineer: Brendon Hapgood
Mixed by: Paul Moak
Recorded at: The Smoakstack
Mastered by: Sam Moses
Album Artwork: Kii Arens
# # #
THE GIG CARTEL IN ASSOCIATION WITH TEENAGE HEAD MUSIC PRESENTS
CINEMA STEREO
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2026 UK TOUR
TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM
THE GIG CARTEL AND CINEMA STEREO
FAVERSHAM, THE OLD BREWERY STORE
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 25
Tickets: Gigantic
Mill Place, Faversham, Kent, ME13 7DY
https://rockinrootsevents.co.uk
MANCHESTER, DEAF INSTITUTE
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 26
Tickets: The Gig Cartel
135 Grosvenor St, Manchester, M1 7HE
https://www.thedeafinstitute.co.uk
SHEFFIELD, YELLOW ARCH
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 27
Tickets: The Gig Cartel
30-36 Burton Rd, Neepsend, Sheffield, S3 8BX
https://www.yellowarch.com
LEEK, FOXLOWE ARTS CENTRE
SATURDAY NOVMEBER 28
Tickets: The Gig Cartel
Stockwell St, Leek, Staffordshire, ST13 6AD
www.foxloweartscentre.org.uk
PLANET ROCKSTOCK
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 29
Tickets: Planet Rock Tickets
Trecco Bay, Porthcawl, Wales, CF36 5NG
Planet Rock.com
GLASGOW, SLAY
TUESDAY DECEMBER 1
Tickets: The Gig Cartel
24 Glassford St, Glasgow, G1 1UL
https://slayglasgow.com
YORK, FULFORD ARMS
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 2
Tickets: The Gig Cartel
121 Fulford Rd, York, YO10 4EX
https://www.thefulfordarms.com
NORWICH, WATERFRONT STUDIO
THURSDAY DECEMBER 3
Tickets: The Gig Cartel
139-141 King St, Norwich, NR1 1QH
https://waterfrontnorwich.webflow.io
FROME, TREEHOUSE
FRIDAY DECEMBER 4
Tickets: The Gig Cartel
35 Berkley Road, Frome, BA11 2EH
www.cheeseandgrain.com
LONDON, O2 ACADEMY 2
SATURDAY DECEMBER 5
Tickets: The Gig Cartel
16 Parkfield St, London, N1 0PS
www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academyislington
# # #
CINEMA STEREO 2026 EUROPEAN TOUR
TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM
15-Oct-2026 Verviers Belgium – Spirit of 66
16-Oct-2026 Krefeld Germany – Kulturrampe
17-Oct-2026 Bully-les-Mines France – Bully On Rocks festival
20-Oct-2026 Santander Spain – Niagara
21-Oct-2026 León Spain – Babylon
22-Oct-2026 A Coruña Spain – Mardi Gras
23-Oct-2026 Ourense Spain – Café Cultural
24-Oct-2026 Sevilla Spain – Sala Even
25-Oct-2026 Jerez Spain – La Guarida del Angel
27-Oct-2026 Orihuela Spain – La Gramola
28-Oct-2026 Valencia Spain – Loco Club
29-Oct-2026 Castellón Spain – Sala Because
30-Oct-2026 Zaragoza Spain – Rock ‘n Blues Café
31-Oct-2026 Valles Spain – AMC Bocanegra
1-Nov-2026 Vitoria Spain – Urban Rock Concept
3-Nov-2026 Barcelona Spain – Razz 3
4-Nov-2026 Chambèry France – Brin de Zinc
5-Nov-2026 Eppstein Germany – Wunderbar Weite Welt
6-Nov-2026 Regensburg Germany – VAZ
7-Nov-2026 Lauchhammer Germany – Real Music Club
10-Nov-2026 Frankfurt Germany – Nachtleben
11-Nov-2026 Bremen Germany – Meisenfrei
12-Nov-2026 Dortmund Germany Musiktheater Piano
14-Nov-2026 Heilbronn Germany – Umma23
15-Nov-2026 Norderstedt Germany – Music Star
18-Nov-2026 Hamburg Germany – Cowboy un Indianer
21-Nov-2026 Coevorden Netherlands – MFC
25-Nov-2026 Faversham UK – The Old Brewery Store
26-Nov 2026 Manchester UK – Deaf Institute
27-Nov-2026 Sheffield UK – Yellow Arch
28-Nov-2026 Leek UK – Foxlowe Arts
29-Nov-2026 Trecco Bay UK – Planet Rockstrock
1-Dec-2026 Glasgow UK – Slay
2-Dec-2026 York UK – Fulford Arms
3-Dec-2026 Norwich UK – Waterfront
4-Dec-2026 Frome UK – Treehouse
5-Dec-2026 London UK – O2 Academy 2
CINEMA STEREO
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